


The Odds Are Never In Our Favor

by swdsnygeek



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: F/M, Mission Fic, Mutual Pining, Other, Team as Family, Torture, confronting our feelings, just a little, questionable space medicine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 06:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swdsnygeek/pseuds/swdsnygeek
Summary: Cassian, Jyn, Bodhi and Kay are on a mission to Nar Shaddaa. The Empire has contracted to create chemical weapons. They also need to find an imperial defector. It's not as simple as it sounds.





	The Odds Are Never In Our Favor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SleepyKalena](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepyKalena/gifts).



> My rebelcaptainnetwork May the 4th exchange gift for SleepyKalena who prompted "despite the odds, they were victorious"
> 
> A huge thanks to @melanoradrood and @brynnmclean for playing betas and writing buddies. Also to @thereigning-lorelai for bouncing ideas.

     “This is a bad idea, Cassian.”

     “It'll be fine, Kay.” 

     “The odds do not support that statement. Besides,  _ you _ said it was a bad idea.” 

     “Kay, please don't use me against myself. I do a good enough job of that on my own.” 

     The droid’s optics flickered as he focused on Cassian, but he didn’t respond after that. He just trudged off to the back of the U-wing, somehow managing to convey offense.

     Cassian sighed. His uncertainty about this assignment had to be transparent if Kay and his terrible emotional skills could pick up on it. He needed to get himself under control before the rest of the team made it to the hangar. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do what needed to be done—he just didn’t want Rogue One to see him do it. He knew the team had become a family, but he still feared that up-close knowledge of what he had done—and continued to do—on behalf of the cause would get him driven out of it.

     Joran Starseed was the perfect cover: an established bounty hunter and hitman who often took Imperial contracts. Cassian had assumed the identity after making sure its originator would never reclaim it. He had taken a few jobs with it over the years since to keep it active. The identity was strong enough to get him into the TIE Factory, and if everything went to plan, he would get out before suspicion fell too heavily onto him. If not, there was always a contingency. His hand unconsciously drifted towards the hidden pocket near his throat. 

 

* * *

 

     Jyn had held her tongue through the briefing, but as it got closer to go-time, the bad feeling buzzing in the back of her mind had only gotten stronger and louder. Something terrible was going to happen. She finally realized the source of her unease—Cassian. He had been acting very strangely about the entire op. Draven had kept him later in the briefing room, which likely meant something off the books needed him to get done. Jyn didn’t want him to face it alone, but Cassian was not cooperating. Her attempts to discuss details only resulted in him repeating, “It’s classified, you didn’t need to worry about it,” and the appearance of his unflappable spy face. It only encouraged Jyn’s suspicions and made her want to scream. 

     There were rumors of several dangerous Imperial weapons systems and training techniques being developed on Nar Shaddaa. It was the perfect place to create mind altering drugs or test chemical weapons because of the lack of regulations. The Hutts didn’t care what you were doing as long as you paid them their share. Plus, a huge Imperial weapons facility orbited the moon. Cassian’s job was to get onboard the facility and plant a virus that would send data back to the Rebellion and corrupt the Imperial files as they were exported. 

     Well, that was the part they knew about. Jyn and Bodhi would be on the ground, to confirm or deny the chemical weapons and identify collaborators. Kay was going to stay on the ship, hopefully. The whole thing was dangerous and risky.

     Bodhi had seen a lot of planets while running cargo for the Empire and had heard of even more, but he never thought he would be going to Nar Shaddaa. That name had always been bold, italicized, underlined on the  _ avoid-at-all-costs _ list. The fact that Jyn and Cassian didn’t seem thrilled either wasn’t encouraging.

     He had asked Chirrut about it, but the monk had simply reminded him that  _ All will be as the Force wills it _ , and asked if he was keeping up with his daily meditation. Bodhi had stammered an excuse before fleeing, much to Baze’s grunted amusement. The guardians were going off on a mission of their own. Perhaps for the best, since it was entirely possible someone unfriendly on Nar Shaddaa would recognize Baze. 

     The Alliance had scrounged up an old smuggling freighter, a Corellian model for this mission. A standard two-pilot setup, with a couple additional chairs in the cockpit, a galley, a small cargo bay and three sleeping quarters with a tiny fresher. It would be cramped, but functional. Kay took great pleasure in reminding everyone that he didn’t need to sleep, so there were enough beds for everyone. Cassian’s face took on the strained expression that meant he was reminding himself that Kay meant well, while Jyn and Bodhi both held back laughter.  Cassian headed for the cockpit to check in with ground control and make sure they were cleared for takeoff. Kay followed him, huffing as he went. 

     Jyn could still sense the stress in her partner. He didn’t like this mission. Of course he would never say no to Command. It wasn’t just General Draven, but also Princess Leia requesting, specifically, Rogue One for this mission. Jyn was determined to be as prepared as possible. She had packed extra cartridges and swiped an extra blaster from a pathfinder on the way to the ship. Now, she pulled out her datapad and looked over the briefing again. Cassian would run the plan through with them until he was blue in the face and they could recite it forwards and backwards. His voice came through the comm—“Everyone strap in. It’s go-time.”

     The freighter rose smoothly and soon they were in the blackness of the void, then the streaks of hyperspace.

     “Meet in the galley, please, 5 minutes.”

     “ _ Autopilot engaged _ ,” came Kay’s robotic tones over the mic. 

     Bodhi popped his head out of one of the sleeping quarters closest to the fresher and announced, “This one’s mine,” before disappearing back into the room. 

     Jyn decided to wait until Cassian had chosen a bunk; then she would take whatever was left. She likely wouldn’t sleep much in there anyway. She would either fall asleep finalizing mission plans in the galley with Cassian or talking with Bodhi in the cockpit. She left her gear in the cargo bay and headed for the galley. She might as well get the caf started. 

     Cassian poked his head in. “Jyn, which bunk did you want?”

     “You pick. I’ll take what’s left.”

     He frowned in response and just studied her before nodding and walking away. 

     Bodhi came in right after and rolled his eyes. “You two are so obvious, yet you get offended when we try to make bets. Can’t you see we are only trying to help?”

     “We do not need your help, Bodhi.”

     “Staring deeply into each other’s eyes does not lead to successful reproduction, Jyn. If you need a reference I am happy to provide you some sources. Though, since you are abnormally small maybe it is better if you do not reproduce with Cassian,” Kay contributed after emerging from the cockpit.

     Bodhi chortled while Jyn glared murderously at the droid. 

     By the time the caf was ready, Cassan was ready to do the first of likely many mission reviews. He continued to act a little off and it was driving Jyn crazy. Why wouldn’t he just come out and say whatever was bothering him? Being evasive was all the more obvious and just made everything seem worse. She forced herself to pay attention to what he was saying rather than pick apart what he wasn’t.

     “No port control to ask for clearance codes on the way in. Make for the smuggling ports in the NW quadrant. Those attract the least amount of Imperial interest. We have the extra credits to pay a bribe to get a landing pad. If the controller presses for information, tell him we are contractors with the Hutts. That will make them back off. The Hutts control Nar Shaddaa and deal harsh punishments to anyone who interferes with their business. We shouldn't be there long enough for them to ask too many questions.

     “After we make the surface, we will be parting ways. I have to meet a contact and then make for the TIE Factory. Jyn and Bodhi, you will focus on the lower levels and search out the rumored chemical weapons. There is nothing concrete, and our analysts have heard everything from torture drugs to mind-control agents. Be careful. We will do a comm check in every six hours. The default on these comms is a mayday signal, you will need to override that on the 6 hour mark or it will come through. Call in case of emergency. Estimated window is 72-96 hours for completion. And remember, Jyn, confirm or deny only. No blowing things up.” 

     His tone grew a little warmer with the scolding. Jyn found herself snorting in surprise. Cassian's jokes were rare. Maybe it wasn't all bad. 

     It was a three-day ride to Nar Shaddaa. Cassian spent much of it obsessing over tiny details and working on something he refused to talk about. Jyn tried Kay but he just snarked at her and acted superior. She suspected Cassian hadn’t told him either. 

     Kay much preferred Bodhi’s company and spent a lot of the trip regaling the pilot with minor details regarding Nar Shaddaa landing pads and hyperspace travel lanes. Bodhi asked him politely to stop—multiple times. The silence never lasted long. It was almost as if the droid couldn’t help himself.  

     Jyn and Bodhi discussed how they would make it to the lower levels and the best strategies for chasing the rumors. They were outsiders in a den of criminals. No one was going to just give them information. The rumors centered around a couple of companies, in particular Kronn Tech and Magre Inc., so they planned to start with the workers. Often, an overworked and underpaid employee would spill details to anyone who seemed sympathetic. They would try to make some new friends at working class bars. 

_      See Cassian, I do listen to you… at least, when it doesn't put you or any of the rest of Rogue One at risk. _

     Kay was fine tuning the comms to prevent interference and signal blocking from illegal tech used in Nar Shaddaa. Jyn would have loved to spend time exploring the streets and learning the newest slicing techniques, but she knew there wouldn't be time. 

     This mission was important. Chemical weapons would mean even higher risks in confronting the Empire. The ’troopers’ masks would filter out any toxins. Not to mention the potential that the Empire would use the weapons on planets that showed marked resistance to Imperial Rule. They could easily claim some type of indigenous disease or bad crops were responsible for the casualties while tightening their grip on the galaxy. It couldn’t be allowed to happen.   

     The closer they got to their destination, the more withdrawn Cassian became. Jyn grew increasingly tense in response to his behavior—her looks lingering with open concern at his retreating back. Kay’s snark gained a sharper edge, and Bodhi found himself missing Chirrut and Baze. 

     The former guardians, as they referred to themselves, had never stopped being guardians, not really. They no longer guarded the temple and the kyber, but instead the lost children of Rogue One. They could reassure Jyn, draw Cassian back into their makeshift family, whittle down Kay's edges and help Bodhi realize that everything wasn’t falling apart. Deprived of their soothing presence, Bodhi just repeated Chirrut’s mantra to himself and pictured his smile. It made him feel a little better. 

     Cassian was trying to hide his demons from them. He was going to do something he was ashamed of, something that made him feel dirty and tainted and now he was refusing to spread that taint to them. 

     Jyn was going to wring his neck, assuming she could even get close enough to him. He had seemingly turned into a ghost. All she ever saw was his retreating back. This ship was tiny, so how he managed this was a mystery. She would feel better if she could ever see his face. He hadn’t run from the team like this in a while. He must be struggling with something besides just the mission. They were partners. Why wouldn’t he talk to her?  

     The tense ride passed quicker than Jyn would have believed possible. The real space re-entry alert went off and everyone gathered in the cockpit to peer out the viewscreen. Both Jyn and Cassian had been here before, Jyn because it was a great place to make money as a small-time criminal, and Cassian because any place that attracted this mass of humanity had to have some valuable intel—for the right price, of course. 

     Jyn glanced at his clenched jaw and distant expression and wondered exactly what that price might have been. 

     Bodhi’s eyes were wide and slightly awed as he took in the mid-rim version of Coruscant. Coruscant, on the upper levels at least, provided the illusion of being clean and organized. Nar Shaddaa didn’t bother. Even up at the top, the grunge was visible. 

     Jyn had not missed this place. 

     Port control came on the comms, “What is your business here?”

     “We are freelance transporters looking for a hire,” Cassian said.

     “Fine, NW quadrant, LP 3578.”

     “LP 3578 confirmed.”

     Bodhi entered the coordinates and engaged the landing sequence as the pad came into view.

     “That was too easy. Expect port officials to pay a visit when we land,” Cassian warned before stepping out of the cockpit. 

     Jyn followed him and Kay sealed the door after. An outdated model enforcer droid would invite unwanted questions here. There was no reason for cargo haulers to have a KX unit. 

     Right after the final landing steps were complete, there was a rap on the cargo door. Cassian opened it and engaged the ramp. After a brief negotiation, the port’s hired muscle left with some credits and the ship would be able to leave without any interference after the mission was complete.

     “Everyone knows what to do. We have a lot to accomplish and not a lot of time. Be careful and keep up with the check-ins. Jyn and Bodhi, please stay together as much as possible. It will be—” Cassian cut off abruptly and disappeared down the hallway towards the quarters. He returned a few minutes later having slipped into whatever alias he needed for his role. Gone were the soft brown of the Alliance uniforms, replaced by dark leather that seemed to swallow the light. Jyn could only assume he was armed to the teeth. He nodded once, saying, “May the force be with you,” and then he was out the door, disappearing across the landing platforms. 

     Jyn and Bodhi exchanged a significant look and then headed toward their rooms to change clothes. Bodhi had a brown vest on over a tan shirt with black pants and Jyn traded her drab green Alliance uniform jacket for a scuffed brown leather coat. Bodhi didn’t like blasters and he refused to carry one, but Cassian had forced him to accept a small vibroblade that he kept sheathed and stuck in his boot. Jyn took both her blaster in a thigh holster and an extra one in the small of her back, plus her truncheon and a vibroblade in each sleeve. This was not a safe city, and where they were headed was even less. 

     Cassian made straight for the Slag Pitt to meet his contact, Kael Orailus. Orailus had been a personal aide to Commander Carth Lyell, the commanding officer of the TIE factory that orbited Nar Shaddaa. After a crisis of conscience, Orailus had decided to desert. The Empire hadn’t taken too kindly to that and had placed a thirty-thousand credit bounty on his head. He reached out to the Fulcrum at a dead drop for aid. The Fulcrum had told him that if he assisted with this op, he would receive protection in return. The op required him to be captured by a rebel spy posing as a bounty hunter and taken to the TIE Factory to be delivered. He would be allowed to escape through bungled handling and that rebel operative would plant a virus on the factory and kill Commander Lyell. Cassian had acted as the Fulcrum to facilitate this and now needed to complete the deal. 

     Unfortunately, thirty thousand credits was a generous bounty, and Orailus now had a huge target on him. Not to mention how difficult the portion on the factory was going to be. Cassian checked his pocket again. The lullaby was still there. He hoped Jyn and Bodhi stayed together, and got out—with or without him. 

     Kay was predictably unhappy about staying on the ship. Bodhi cheered him up by reminding him that his being on the ship would help with the mission. Kay always liked to feel important. He agreed to stay, for Cassian and Bodhi. He told Bodhi that if they came back without Jyn they could just leave her behind. Bodhi stuttered in protest, but Jyn just rolled her eyes and told him they had to get going. 

     They made for a bar called The Love Hutt two levels down from Kronn Tech. It catered to company employees and was completely filthy. Jyn didn’t want to touch one of those glasses, much less drink anything out of them. Refusing to do so would be suspicious, though. She slipped the alcohol-neutralizing patch out of her pocket and onto the roof of her mouth.

     If they were going to hang out for a while, they needed to be good bar patrons. 

     It was 1900 hours according to planetary time. Perhaps a little early for workers, but it would give them a chance to establish a spot and get comfortable. 20 minutes after they settled in with their first round, Kronn Tech employees-—identifiable by their atrocious orange and red striped uniforms—started to file in to the bar. Time to see what quiet ears could hear. 

 

* * *

 

     Orailus was waiting for Cassian in a dark corner of the Slag Pitt. Cassian gave the agreed codephrase and nodded towards the exit. Orailus covered his face with his hood as he walked towards the door. Cassian was obviously not the first person to recognize him. He could only hope the man hadn’t lost his courage. The timeline was tight enough; it couldn’t stand for any extra complications.

     “Joran Starseed. I’m here to help.”

     “Well, you clearly already know my name,” Orailus sneered. “You sure you can pull this off?”

     His dismissive attitude scraped in all the wrong ways. The cold persona Cassian needed for this came easily in response. “Are  _ you _ ? It is, after all, your life that depends on this. I don’t need you to get off this planet. You do need me.” His voice could have frozen lava. 

     Orailus’ entire demeanor changed in response. It was almost comical how quickly he went from dismissive to almost sycophantic. Orailus wanted to escape the Empire, but he had no real interest in helping the Alliance. Cassian didn’t need to earn any trust here. He just needed to complete the op.

 

* * *

 

     As it turned out, quiet ears could hear a lot. It didn't take long before drink loosened the Kronn Tech employees’ lips. Odd equipment had hit the factory floors. Totally new manufacturing systems, filtration masks, heavy metal lined aprons. Supervisors were paying more attention to worker safety than they had in decades. 

     She and Bodhi exchanged a look—it couldn't possibly be this easy.

     Of course, it was too good to last. When the Magre Inc. workers started to file in, the hope of an easy job was shattered. There was good money in illegal weapons techniques. Similar suspicious equipment had been rolled out in their factories too. Though, based on some of the whispers about previously difficult workers who had become oddly malleable after disciplinary meetings—something else was being made there. 

     66 hours left. They'd have to make the most of those hours if they wanted to investigate both plants. 

     Right on time, the all-clear sequences came through the commlinks—first Cassian’s code, then Kay’s. Bodhi replied with his signal and the comms went silent again. Hopefully, they stayed that way. 

     Kay would likely get bored though and he would pick Jyn and Bodhi to bother with his helpful statements. He wouldn’t risk jeopardizing Cassian for his own amusement. 

* * *

 

     Cassian had given Jyn and Bodhi a more generous timeline than he had assigned himself. Commander Lyell was scheduled to travel to Coruscant for a departmental meeting in 36 hours. Assuming his mission was successful, he would return to the ship and help guide Bodhi and Jyn. The Starseed alias would be burned after this—a shame, really. A connected, feared bounty hunter was more helpful than he liked to admit for getting in and out of sticky situations. Still, Starseed with a mark as high profile as Orailus would draw attention. He needed to get them off the street now. There was no time time for any complications. 

 

* * *

 

     Eavesdropping had been fruitful. Now it was time to plan some infiltrations. Jyn and Bodhi paid their tab and headed back to the spaceport. They needed more information on the two factories and better directions before they started sneaking around. It made the most sense to split up, but she remembered Cassian’s plea that they not do that, and she wasn’t sure about Bodhi. He was more than capable, but he had a special skill for making completely casual actions look like a deliberate show. He would draw attention despite his best efforts not to. Hopefully they wouldn't have to actually enter each factory floor. Some surface slicing may do the trick.

     Decision made, Jyn found her mind wandering to Cassian. _ How was he,  _ she wondered,  _ and what was he doing? _ She was not a fan of such minimal communication, especially since he was off on his own. She needed him to be okay. She had all of Rogue One now, but she still wouldn’t cope well with losing the first person to ever come back for her. 

     They were partners, but she knew deep down that she wanted more—when she allowed herself to admit it. 

 

* * *

 

     Cassian dropped Orailus in a secure safe room—one that locked from the outside with no windows, so the slimy sentient couldn't double-cross him—and headed to secure passage up to the TIE Factory. He needed to log the capture and file a query for permission to approach the factory. Surprising the Imperials there would just result in being shot down as soon as he entered the restricted space surrounding the station. 

     Task complete, his mind wandered to the rest of his team, especially Jyn. She had known he was up to something. Avoiding her had been painful, but he hadn’t wanted her to see him prep for this. He knew what he did was necessary, even if it was morally gray at best. That said, he preferred to keep his darker deeds to himself. Being an intelligence officer was bad enough in the eyes of most, no reason to shed too much light on what he did. He hoped Jyn was being careful. If the information was too juicy, she may do something reckless. The two of them had gotten so used to having the other for backup— _ Maybe too used to it, _ he thought wryly. No room for mistakes here. 

     Assuming he survived this mission, maybe he would finally tell her that he wanted to be partners in every sense of the word. 

 

* * *

 

     Kay greeted Jyn and Bodhi with the classic, “Oh, it’s you. I was particularly impressed that you managed to remember to send the override comm signal. Then again, yours was only after Cassian sent his, so maybe you don't deserve too much credit. Good job, Bodhi.”

     Jyn rolled her eyes. If she didn’t love snarking with Kay to annoy Cassian, she would honestly have shot the damn droid by now. 

     “Did you find anything of use?” Kay asked. “I believe Cassian successfully met with his contact."

     Jyn nodded. “We really did, Kay. We might even need your help with it.”

     Kay's optical processors narrowed for a moment before opening wide again, trying to decide if she was poking fun at him. “Well, strategic analysis is one of my strengths. You need all the strategy you can get.” His tone seemed a little off though. He had discovered something when he was in contact with Cassian. Jyn needed to find out what it was. But she also needed to focus on her part of the mission. Cassian was capable. He would be fine. 

     Cassian’s burner datapad pinged. A clearance code for a ferry shuttle to the Shipyard came through with the note: valid for the next 12 hours. The shuttles ran on a three-hour rotation. The next departure was 30 minutes away. They wouldn’t make that. He would take the following departure. 3.5 hours. Time to look over the station layouts one last time and discuss the details of Orailus’ role. The man had to act like a prisoner, one who wasn’t expecting to escape again. If not, the whole op would go up in flames and neither of them would leave the station alive. Cassian didn’t have a lot of faith in Orailus; the other man was in all this for himself. The Empire could offer him a lot more than the Alliance. He shook his head to chase away that train of thought.  _ Focus on the here and now, the next steps. Not what could go wrong hours from now. _

 

* * *

 

     Jyn and Bodhi decided to start with Kronn Tech. As concerning as whatever was going on at Magre was, it didn’t have the broader applications of a chemical weapon. It was more likely to be used in isolated occurrences. If time allowed, they would look into that, too. Kay pulled up blueprints of the Kronn Tech facility. Or at least, what was filed in the archives. There was no telling how accurate the map really was. The perils of Hutt controlled planets. The main production floor was in the center of the complex. The mainframe was in a restricted area with no hidden access points. It was possible that those records could be accessed from a computer hub on the production level. 

     That was what they were hoping for, because there was no way to get in and out of the mainframe area without drawing suspicion. Too many keypads to slice—even for Jyn it would take too long. Getting on the floor wouldn’t be too hard. All they needed was a worker ID card that Kay could easily forge and to steal a uniform. Kronn Tech used a laundry service, and with all the credits they had on hand, it would be easy to bribe a uniform off of one of the workers there. Plan set, they sent the all clear code to Cassian. Cassian’s reply of the same came quickly. Jyn shoved her worries to the back of her mind and willed herself to focus on the job at hand. 

     Kay forged the ID quickly enough and Jyn headed for the service to get uniforms. Cheapest bribe she ever paid. That said something negative  about how workers were treated here. Bodhi met her at the bar from before and they waited for it to get closer to shift change at Kronn Tech. Putting on the uniforms too soon would only draw unwanted attention. Two hours passed before they changed clothes and headed for the facility. Jyn adopted the glazed, dull look of the rest of the workers and joined in the line to enter the building. Bodhi did the same. 

     Their forged ID cards would get them past the cursory scan for entry, but wouldn’t grant access to much once inside. Jyn’s first objective was to lift an authentic ID. Meanwhile, Bodhi would enter the work floor and make observations about the equipment and substances he saw, identifying whatever he could. Jyn’s goal was to find a network access point and slice in. She had a data stick and would take whatever she could get. Then, they needed to get out before anyone noticed they didn’t quite fit in with the crowd. 

 

* * *

 

     Cassian’s time was nearly up. He headed back to the safe room he had dropped Orailus in. He had debated returning sooner, but he had a feeling the man’s incessant questions would prevent him from retrieving the data he needed. And he had been right.

     “Where have you been? There’s no food here. I thought I was going to starve. Honestly, is this how it works with you people?” The questions rapid fire and tone harsh. The man felt entitled to be looked after. 

     “Relax, I was going to come back. I needed make some arrangements. This needs to go smoothly. We meet our ride to the shipyard in 45 minutes. It is 15 minutes to the spaceport. We have half an hour to discuss the details of this plan.” Cassian’s tone was flat, expression neutral as he tried to conceal his dislike for the defector. 

     “Oh, so you do have a plan? I thought we were just making it up as we went along.” he sneered.

     “If you play your role correctly, you will walk away with exactly what you were promised. If you don’t do what I say, I can’t guarantee you will walk away at all.” Cassian’s face had grown increasingly neutral, but his tone was frigid.

     Orailus shut up quickly enough. Cassian walked him through the plan, and what to expect on the station. He couldn’t have the man panic at the sight of the ‘troopers. They then headed for the spaceport.  _ May the Force be with us,  _ Cassian thought. 

     Getting a badge was surprisingly easy—turned out the workers were so beaten down that they didn’t notice anything around them. The supervisors obviously weren’t concerned either, as they had all disappeared to play sabacc somewhere. 

     Jyn spotted a terminal on the far side of the factory floor, and carefully made her way over there. She exchanged a nod with Bodhi who was wandering down the assembly line, cataloging everything in his head. They had picked up the protective equipment before entering the floor. The way the workers eyed the substances in the vats, Jyn knew it was bad. She slipped her coder into the terminal and set to work. The security on the computers was mid-level. Upper management hadn’t thought to protect the terminals here; the workers wouldn’t be trying to access it. 

     Bodhi strategically paused at a section of the line that blocked her from the view out of the supervisor’s office windows, and she made quick work out of downloading everything she could find onto the data stick, picking out every file marked ‘private’ or ‘confidential.’ Hopefully some of it had what they needed and it wasn’t all just financials. She couldn’t afford the time to sort through them now—the analysts could do that back on Home One. 

     Bodhi signaled that there was movement; she finished her file transfer, pulled the coder out and slid it back into her jumpsuit. Adopted the dull expression again, she moved towards the ‘fresher and slipped the jumpsuit off in a stall, flushed the badge down the drain and headed for the tiny exterior exit that Kay had noted on the plans, praying to the Force it was still there. It was—she sent two quick clicks to Bodhi to indicate that he should follow his exit plan and meet back at the ship. Then she sent the all-clear click to Kay and Cassian. 

 

* * *

 

     Cassian got the click and sent his in return just as he and Orailus were exiting the transport on the Shipyard. Just as predicted, a pair of ‘troopers immediately greeted them. 

     “We will escort you to the detention area. Commander Lyell is interested in speaking with both of you. He will of course be paying you as well, Mr. Starseed,” the scrubbed voice directed.

     The troopers gestured in a direction and Cassian nodded his agreement. Orailus squirmed in his binders, but he wasn’t getting loose. Not until Cassian hit the override code on the locking mechanism. 

     Cassian had a bad feeling about this but shoved it down.  _ Focus, you are not done. Orailus doesn’t matter.  _

     Cassian noted the turns and doorways they took en route, mentally mapping the way back to the shuttle depot. He had also noted security in the depot was relatively light. Probably because no one here was ever trying to escape—if they got out of the detention block, they got caught long before they could steal a ship. 

     Two more turns and then the ‘troopers stopped. “Wait here, Commander Lyell will be with you shortly.”

     The troopers stayed, two more flanking them while an officer left the desk, presumably to go find the Commander. The other officer came over, looking for visible weapons, but Cassian’s blaster was well concealed. He would never have made it on the station with it in plain sight, but needed it to finish his mission. 

     According to the blueprints Kay had found, Magre Inc.’s mainframe was easily accessible from the outside-with a built in exit in case of overload. They obviously weren’t too worried about being compromised. Historically, they had been a small producer of roofie drugs and sexual stimulants, so not high risk. It was possible someone had found a way to modify the roofies to be more sinister, and less sedating. Jyn was going to find out. 

     She left Bodhi with Kay to provide directions as needed. Kay was giving her too much salt over how unnecessary this secondary objective was. But this information could still be important. What if the drugs were used in interrogation, or on planetary leaders? She was doing this. Besides, Cassian hadn’t indicated he was done with his part yet. She still had time. 

     Determined, she set off towards Magre. Magre’s offices were two levels below Kronn Tech’s and the urban decay was even more apparent here. Slime dripped down the  walls and everything smelled vaguely of waste and rot. The sentients here looked browbeaten, clothing threadbare and eyes pinned to the ground, and the few droids were rusty and missing multiple parts. It seemed rather fitting actually. 

     She shook off those thoughts and focused on the mission. 

     Bodhi was in her ear, telling her she was getting close to Magre Inc. The building was just as dilapidated as the surroundings. It was hard to believe they were producing something dangerous here—or anything at all really. 

     Her hackles rose and her senses went into high alert. Everything screamed wrong, get out, but she kept moving forward. She joined the crowd of workers returning from a break and followed Bodhi’s instructions to the mainframe room. She sliced the lock and slid inside, hoping this wasn’t all just a waste of time.

 

* * *

 

     Cursory search performed on Cassian’s person, the officer returned to the control terminal and waited for the Commander. The silence was stifling and awkward. Cassian kept one eye on Orailus and the other constantly roving the room, cataloging exits and cameras. After what felt like an eternity, but was probably fifteen minutes at most, Commander Lyell entered the room.

     “Ah, Kael, so lovely to see you again. I think we should all go speak in private, maybe take some of those restraints off. Everyone can get…  _ comfortable _ .” The commander matched his photo perfectly, cold and with an air of superiority. He knew he was untouchable in his position and he relished it.

     The troopers pushed Cassian and Orailus toward the right most hallway. Cassian needed to move fast—once he got in he would need a code to get out. And if Lyrell was dead, he wouldn’t get out. Orailus wouldn’t know the code, plus those rooms had cameras everywhere. He never even made it that far.

     “Commander Lyell, stop. This man here, Joran Starseed, is not who he pretends to be. He is a rebel agent.” 

_      Mierda. Orailus was a coward and he was hoping turning in Cassian would get his charges of desertion dropped. _

     “I tell you this so you can consider who the real criminal among us is.”

     “Lt Gyra, run this man through facial recognition and fingerprint scan him. If he pings, inform me immediately. I know just what to do with him.” Lyell instructed crisply.

     “Now, now, Kael—don’t think you are off the hook just yet. I will still need to punish you for your indiscretion.” 

     Based off the commander’s emphasis of punish, Cassian suspected the two imperials had some illicit personal relationship. His main focus now was getting out. Whatever the Commander planned for him couldn’t be good. He prayed to the Force that nothing would come up on facial recognition scans, but the chances of that were infinitely and depressingly small.  He knew he had been in too many Imperial facilities to get away clean. 

     The Commander and the troopers had tightened ranks around him and were all waiting for him to go for his blaster. He refused to until he knew he was compromised—no sense blowing it until he had to. He had been in tighter spots than this and gotten out clean. “Commander Lyell, Orailus is obviously desperate and grasping at metaphorical straws.” Cassian adopted a warm, charming smile, “I would never work for the Rebellion. You should see how little they pay!”

     The officer returned, “We’ve gotten several hits commander. He’s been in bases all over the Empire- in roles that do not follow any known career trajectory. “

     “Thank you, Lieutenant Gyra. Well, well—looks like we do have a spy on our hands... I know just what to do with you. Escort him to interrogation room three. I will meet you there shortly.” Lyell’s cold smile was a little unsettling.

     The troopers were tightly packed around him, but Cassian still managed to slip the virus chip into the terminal as they led him down the hall. His lullaby was safe in his jacket collar. If it was interrogation they wanted, they would be disappointed.

 

* * *

 

     Jyn accessed the mainframe and started looking for information on the drugs as she copied files over. She had more time here; security was so very lax. The whole thing was laughable really. What she found in the computer wasn’t.

     The drugs being developed here overrode a person’s free will. Brainwashing without all the work previously required. There were holos of belligerent, terrified prisoners being dosed until they became compliant and docile. Slavery without any fear of uprising. Control with no fear of rebellion. It made her stomach turn and her body shake. 

     She had a sudden flash to Wobani, and how happy the Empire would be to use this there. She ruthlessly shoved that down. Demons lay down that road and she couldn’t afford to fall into that hole right now. She needed to get this information and get out.

 

* * *

 

     Interrogation room 3 looked less like an interrogation room and more like a medical lab. Cassian came to the sudden, unpleasant realization that his and Jyn and Bodhi’s assignment might be more connected than he had thought. The troopers strapped him to the table and cut off his jacket. There went his lullaby. This mission was one disaster after the next. Cassian started to mentally prepare himself for the impending torture. He needed to find a safe place in his mind that the Commander could not reach. He would never betray the Rebellion- or his team.

     He didn’t have to wait long. Commander Lyell waltzed smugly into the room carrying a couple of small vibroblades and a vial of an electric blue substance. 

     Drugs. Cassian hated drugs with a passion. They were the true enemy of any spy. The vibroblades were strange, though. The Empire preferred drugs. Less blood to clean up- wouldn’t want to stain those drab gray uniforms. 

     “I’m sure you’re wondering what I intend to do with these items, Joran. I know that's not your real name, of course, but I prefer to use names. ‘Rebel’ or ‘Spy’ is so impersonal, after all." 

     Cassian nearly groaned. It had been a long time since he had been faced with such an amateur. 

     Despite his boisterous mannerisms, Lyell’s eyes were chips of ice. Maybe not as inexperienced as Cassian thought.

     “I considered interrogating you, but it would likely be a fruitless endeavor. I found the lullaby in your jacket pocket. Rebel spies never talk, especially not one as prolific as you have been. That’s alright though, I’ve thought of something almost as good. I’m sure these seemingly innocuous blades caught your notice, as well as this substance.”

     He shook the vial of the blue liquid lightly. “And well, our friends down on the planet have been working on something new for us. A chemical weapon of sorts. It is still in testing phases of course—we are working to determine the most efficient and effective distribution method. Air, water,  _ et cetera _ . It is absorbed by the mucus membranes, so either works. It is especially effective, however, when injected. Since you are of no use in giving me information, I shall use you to send a message instead... Let’s get started.”

     Cassian worked to suppress a shudder. The man wasn’t insane, that was the terrifying part. He was perfectly rational and getting a genuine thrill out of the horrific information he was imparting, as well as what he was about to do.  

     Lyell began by unsheathing the vibroblades and making a couple of long shallow incisions across Cassian's abdomen. Then he started to prep the mysterious substance for injection. 

     “I suppose I should let you find out for yourself what happens when this is injected into the human body, but I just really want to share. It is a combination of several toxins, and the overall effect is devastating. First, it magnifies any pain in the body, making minor scratches feel like huge gaping wounds, and then it causes the body to begin to attack itself causing major organ failure. 

     “That, of course, is painful, and the drugs magnify that pain. So you die in horrifying agony. No antidote has been successfully found and no painkiller can outweigh its effects. Your time here is almost done, Joran. I will inject this and then we will put you on a hopper shuttle back down to the planetary surface so your friends or contacts can find you and watch you suffer and die. A message that no one who opposes us shall win.”  

     Gloating done, Lyell made quick work of cleaning the skin in the crook of his elbow, then completed the injection. Cassian couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t inject it all. Likely that would cause him to die before he could act as the messenger. 

     The effect was nearly instantaneous. The surface scratches felt like someone had eviscerated him. It must have shown on his face as Lyell grinned, undid the restraints, and pulled out his comm for call the troopers to dump him on the surface. With a speed born of years of war, Cassian grabbed the discarded syringe and shoved it into Lyell's neck. Direct hit. 

     At least his mission was complete. 

     The commander swayed a little on his feet and as the troopers escorted Cassian out the door of the lab room, he heard the man hit the floor. Cassian could feel himself growing weaker as the pain started to intensify.  He knew he would lose consciousness soon. The troopers shoved him into a shuttle and directed the pilot to just dump him on the landing pad. His last thought before blacking out was of Jyn, and how he too was going to leave her. 

 

* * *

 

     Jyn was just disconnecting her slicer and erasing her intrusion when it came through. The default signal over the commlinks—the not-okay, and the origin was Cassian. Her heart fell somewhere in her stomach.

     Bodhi spoke in her ear: “Jyn, did you hear that? Is it real? Do I try to talk to him?”

     “I don't know. Let me get out of here and I'll try to figure it out. Does Kay have anything?”

     “His subdermal tracker is acting strangely, but I can try to lock down a location,” Kay broke in. 

     Kay was helping Jyn, without any snark, or comments about how she couldn’t do this without him. _ This was bad. Very bad. _

     “Kay, what does it mean if his tracker is acting up? I thought they were tamper-proof!”

     “I’m not sure. Whatever it is, it’s not good, so hurry up, Jyn. With your short legs it is going to take you a long time to get there anyway.”

     Halfhearted snark attempt from Kay, and now he was trying to hide his concern. This was even worse.

     “Do you have a general direction for me? I’m out of Magre, Inc.”

     “Head west, and up; that will do for now.”

     Jyn tucked her equipment away and slipped through the apathetic residents of this level as quickly as she could. She tried to avoid doing too much shoving, starting a fight would result in a delay. It was 2 klicks to the closest elevator. Jyn made decent time, her thoughts racing. 

     She had lost a lot in her life. She lost her parents, then Saw, then the Empire stripped her of her dignity while she was in prison. All of that loss had made her strong. It also made her unsure, hesitant to trust. People left her behind and didn’t make her a priority. Why should she believe someone would now? She was not always a pleasant person to be around.

     Yet, she suddenly had a whole family who cared about her. Baze and Chirrut had basically adopted her, and Bodhi was in many ways a brother. He knew her father better than she ever could- knew who he truly was. That is, whenever either of them could bear to talk about it. 

     But then there was Cassian. Jyn sometimes pretended she didn’t know what he was to her. It was pointless though. They had orbited each other from the moment they met. 

     She was done losing things. She would not lose him, not here, not now. 

     There was a small queue to get on the lifts. Jyn resisted the urge to shove her way to the front.  _ This will give Kay more time to get a location lock, so you aren’t just running around in circles. Be calm. _

     “Bodhi, do we have a medkit on the ship anywhere?”

     “I—I’m not sure, let me go check. That’s a good idea, Jyn.”

     “You aren’t moving, what in the galaxy are you doing?” Kay complained. “I know you are slow but this is excessive even for you.”

     “Kay, I am waiting for a lift. I’m getting in now,” she growled back.

     Damn impertinent droid.

     “I am zeroing in on a location from Cassian’s tracker, stand by for further instructions,” Kay responded haughtily before her commlink fell silent again. 

     The lift stopped a seemingly innumerable number of times as the minutes seemed to race by. Each second Cassian was alone, he was in danger—she didn’t have time for this, she... she could not panic. That would not help anyone.

     “Jyn, get off on the next level. Look for a sign indicating Imperial spaceport. The tracker is showing that as his current location.”

     Jyn hummed in acknowledgement. When the doors opened, she slipped quickly through the crowd and out. The sign indicated the port was three quarters of a klick east. She wasted no time heading in that direction. She updated her mental map of the city as she went, trying to figure out the fastest route to get back to Bodhi. There was no unusual Imperial activity in this sector, no trooper patrols or any signs of a firefight. This just got stranger and stranger. What was Cassian even doing here anyway? He had never explained why he needed to enter a high security Imperial facility—alone. 

     “Kay, I’ve arrived at the spaceport, where should I go now? Has his tracker moved at all?”

     “No, he should still be there, northwest corner.”

     Jyn hummed again and after a quick skyward glance to confirm her orientation, headed northwest. Up ahead, slumped against the wall was a dark, still, roughly Cassian-sized figure. Jyn’s heart seized in her chest and she started running, uncaring of who might be watching. She crossed the distance quickly. He was so still, face drawn and tight, she searched for obvious injuries—nothing seemed broken, no head wounds, there was a small amount of blood on his jacket, but she didn’t want to expose him here.

     “Cassian, can you hear me?” She shook him gently.

     He sucked in a harsh breath and grimaced, forcing his eyes open. His pupils were tiny pinpoints. Almost swallowed by his dark irises.  _ Drugged, _  she thought. Maybe his contact had turned on him and dumped him here hoping a curious enterprising officer would spot him.

     “Jyn?” he croaked after a disturbingly long pause. He was usually so aware of everything. It was disconcerting to see him like this.

     “It’s me, I’m here. We need to get back to the ship. Can you move?”

     He seemed to conduct a self assessment before nodding. Getting to his feet was an obvious struggle. 

     Cassian had no idea how he was going to walk back to the ship. Every nerve in his body was on fire and his vision seemed to constantly shift. Still, Jyn had found him now and there was no way she would ever leave him behind. He was just going to have to make this work. Somehow. For her. For Rogue One. The team wouldn’t survive losing both of them, so they couldn’t stay here. Even if he couldn’t be there for them much longer, Jyn would. He would make sure of it. 

     Their progress was much slower than Jyn would have liked, but they were moving. Cassian was determined to stay on his feet and get them both out of here. She wasn’t leaving without him. If she had to carry him, she would. That said, she was supporting more and more of his weight. 

     It was beginning to feel like Scarif over again. 

     “You can do this Cassian, I know you can. We’re almost there.” 

     Her determination seemed to give him strength and they reached the ship. She had been giving Bodhi periodic updates of the progress so they could be ready for take off whenever she and Cassian arrived. Bodhi was waiting at the cargo ramp and he quickly slipped under Cassian’s other arm to help him up onto the ship.

     As soon as the ramp retracted and the outer door slid shut, Cassian’s eyes slipped closed and he went limp. For the second time in two hours, Jyn’s heart seized and she found herself shoving back her fear. Bodhi’s eyes were wide and terrified and Jyn knew she needed to be calm for him. 

     “Bring me the medkit, and grab the scanner,” she said as levelly as she could. “Maybe we can find something to help him. Kay, get us out of here, now.” 

     The engines hummed as Kay prepped for takeoff and soon Nar Shaddaa was a distant speck behind them. Jyn lost track of how much time she spent sitting in the cargo hold, just watching Cassian. 

     He hadn’t regained consciousness since collapsing. His dark clothes were bloody, but the wounds underneath were relatively shallow. The harsh injection bruise near the crook of his right arm was a bigger concern. The surrounding area had taken on an odd electric blue coloring that seemed to snake along the path of the vein. It had to be one of the substances that was being tested on the lower levels. 

     Kay moved Cassian to his bunk and last time Jyn had checked on him his face had been creased in pain, and he was both cool to the touch and covered in sweat. He needed help—fast. They were enroute to the Rebel fleet, and Jyn could only hope they got there in time. According to Bodhi, they were about 6 hours out now. A three day jaunt had never seemed so long. Jyn knew Bodhi was pushing the freighter to it’s absolute limits trying to get them back to the fleet. Kay alternated between spouting off dismaying odds and refusing to update his calculations because he didn’t wish to contemplate his existence without Cassian. Jyn desperately missed Baze and Chirrut. 

     The whole trip was eerily silent. No one knew what to say or do, other than worry and hope. She caught Bodhi repeating Chirrut’s mantra to himself, and took small comfort in it. 

     When they rendezvoused with the fleet, Chirrut and Baze had already returned from their mission. Cassian was rushed off to medical immediately and General Draven followed the stretcher after mentioning that the debrief could wait until the next day but he expected written reports as soon as possible. Jyn stood frozen in the bustle of the hangar. The stress of the mission, the horror of Cassian’s injury and the willpower it took to stay strong for Bodhi and Kay on the way back from Nar Shaddaa had left her drained.

     “Little sister,” Baze said, taking her by the arm. “You must trust the Force. Come, talk, rest and we shall check on the one who holds your heart.”

     If it were Chirrut she would have argued, but Baze with his gruff affection was implacable. He gently led her down the hall towards medbay and fended off any interruptions with his fierce scowl. Chirrut met up with them on the way, carrying fresh rolls from the mess. He must have charmed the cooks again.

     General Draven passed the team in the hallway, looking even more stressed and stern than usual. Jyn’s heart sank into her stomach—General Draven was a practical man, but he was fond of Cassian. For him to look so grim, the news must have been bad. 

     He met her gaze for a moment and nodded his head towards the medbay. She picked up her pace.

     A Twi’lek medic directed them to Cassian’s bedside as soon as they entered medbay, well acquainted with Rogue One’s members.

     “We are still working to identify the substance injected into Captain Andor. Our best guess right now is that it is a neurotoxin that causes misfiring in the body’s pain sensors. Captain Andor remains unconscious because it is the only way his body can protect itself. Additionally, the overstressed pain receptors cause an immune response. His body is in effect attacking itself. We are confident we will be able to identify the agent and treat it directly, but for now are planning a series of bacta immersions to try and slow the progression. Feel free to sit with him until the tank is prepped.”

     The team did just that, looking subdued and somber. Jyn took one of his hands in hers. Bodhi held the other, and Baze and Chirrut each rested a hand on one of his legs. Rogue One, standing guard over their Captain in his moment of need. He had done the same for all of them, now they would return the gesture. 

     Bodhi had been terrified since the mayday default signal had come in. Without Cassian, they would all have died on Jedha. If by some miracle he hadn’t been destroyed by the Death Star blast, he could still be lost in his mind, after the horror of Bor Gullet. Cassian had brought him back to himself. He had brought the whole team together. 

     Cassian viewed Jyn as the heart of Rogue One, and maybe that was true, but Cassian was still the leader. Not just on paper. He made sure each of them had access to whatever they needed on base, quietly intervened if anyone was giving them trouble and worked to make sure they felt comfortable with the other rebels. Yet the man himself acted as though he didn’t deserve any of those same considerations. It drove the whole team nuts, and was frankly ridiculous. 

     When, not if, but  _ when  _ Cassian recovered, Bodhi would renew his resolve to make Cassian feel included, and remind him that none of them were afraid of him. There was no reason to be.

 

* * *

 

     Jyn felt so useless, she wanted to scream—or beat up an entire trooper detachment. Instead, she forced herself to stay still and to not run. Cassian deserved to have his team here. She needed to be with her team, so she stayed, watching him float in the tank. 

     This was the fourth round of immersions. The medics remained stubbornly optimistic, but Jyn knew time was running out. With no antidote, Cassian’s body continued to ravage itself. The bacta immersions were growing longer and the increments in between shorter. 

     Chirrut prayed constantly, and had even convinced Baze to join him. Maybe the prayers were working because an idea came to Jyn like a sudden gift from the force. 

     The data chip. Could they really be this lucky? 

     She stood up and headed for General Draven’s office. He had taken the chip when he had come to debrief them in the medbay. Since they all refused to leave.

     “Erso, I am surprised to see you here. The medics tell me all of you have hardly left Captain Andor’s side.”

     “General Draven, has analysis started looking at the data on the chip from Kronn Tech. They were working on some sort of chemical weapon. What if that is what Cassian was injected with?”

     “Well, it does make sense. The factory had contracted the development of several illicit substances for use against rebel forces. There was a strange databurst that came from there after your team left Nar Shaddaa regarding a message to the Alliance. They may have injected Cassian intentionally—to try and frighten us.”

     “What are you talking about? What was he doing up there?”

     “Classified, Erso.”

     Thinking back on Cassian’s demeanor the whole trip and some of his odd mission prep, Jyn realized she already knew. Assassination. No wonder he had acted so tainted. Cassian hated assassination missions. But whoever the target was on that base clearly deserved it.

     “I appreciate your insight. I will have someone from medical look into the substances from Kronn first.”

     Jyn nodded and let herself out of his office. Since she had let herself in anyway, she didn’t need to be dismissed. Message delivered, a solution hopefully found, she headed back towards medbay to continue her vigil. 

     When she arrived, Chirrut reached over and grabbed her hand, “Little sister, you are not alone. You do not need to bear this pain alone.”

     Jyn tried not to crumple under the weight of her fear. “I would give anything if it meant he would get better, Chirrut. What we do is dangerous, I know that. I have always known there is a chance one day he will be forced to swallow a lullaby, or take a blaster to the heart,  but I never thought I would have to watch something like this. It has been days.”

     “His presence in the Force is strong, Jyn. He has not given up. Don’t give up on him.” 

     It took a long eighteen standard hours, but Jyn’s hunch was right, the drug from Kronn Tech was what Cassian had been injected with. Using the formula, the medics were able to synthesize an antidote. The medics did one more bacta immersion post administration to facilitate recovery, then they began to lift the sedation they had been giving. Everyone gathered around his bedside to wait for Cassian to wake up. 

     This time the vigil was joyous, rather than somber and when Chirrut’s small smile turned into a full fledged grin, Jyn knew it was time. 

     Cassian’s eyelids fluttered and then opened, gaze sharp as ever and Jyn felt a deep sense of relief in her soul. He was going to be okay. They were going to be okay. 

     Everyone spoke their well wishes, and found something, a hand or a knee to squeeze before Chirrut smiled rather knowingly at Jyn, announced he was hungry, and dragged everyone else off to the mess. Kay lingered a moment longer before declaring, “Despite the astronomical odds, this could go down as a win.” 

     Cassian rolled his eyes rather fondly before saying, “Thanks, Kay.” 

     His voice was  hoarse and Jyn poured him a small cup of water, warning him to sip slowly. He gave her a look of fond exasperation in return. 

     Feeling warm, and a little bold, she took hold of his free hand and kissed first the back and then his palm before holding it in both of hers. “Don’t you dare scare me like that again, Cassian. You can’t leave me—us.”

     “I’m with you Jyn,” he promised, squeezing her hand.  “All the way.”

 


End file.
